‘That’s a bad combination’: why Australia may be in for a slushy snow season

Snow arrives in time for the start of ski season, but climate change and El Niño mean it may not stick around for long, experts say

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There was optimism across Australian alpine resorts this week as their social media channels filled with footage of snow flurries that arrived just in time for the opening of the ski season this weekend.

“We couldn’t be more excited,” said the Instagram account of Perisher, the southern hemisphere’s biggest ski resort in Kosciuszko national park in New South Wales, as hands swept the fresh snow from outdoor tables.